Earlier this month (April 10–11), I had the opportunity to attend the IAAP EU Accessibility 2025 Hybrid Event, hosted by Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. The two-day event brought together accessibility professionals, industry representatives, and public sector stakeholders from across Europe to discuss current trends and ongoing challenges, especially the fast-approaching implementation deadline of the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
Day One: Going beyond WCAG
The event began with a full-day workshop focused on clarifying specific EN 301 549 requirements beyond WCAG. As with the Paris event last year, participants split into small groups to explore different sections of the standard. Our group tackled 11.6.2 No disruption of accessibility features, with Malin Hammarberg once again facilitating a lively and constructive discussion.
The extra time this year allowed for deeper exploration. While we made progress in identifying real-world implications and edge cases, we also surfaced plenty of new questions. A follow-up webinar takes place on May 7 to share each group’s findings and highlight where further clarification may still be needed.
Day Two: Bringing the EAA into focus
Day two kicked off with a keynote from Amazon’s Peter Korn, who outlined the company’s approach to accessibility and its philosophy of “customer obsession”, including for people with disabilities. His message set the tone for a series of panel discussions exploring the European Accessibility Act (EAA) from different angles, including:
- Banking – with insights from representatives of the financial services sector.
- E-commerce – featuring a discussion between sector representatives and a disability activist on improving the accessibility of online shopping.
- Computers, smartphones, and operating systems – with speakers from Microsoft and Samsung sharing how their organizations are working to meet EAA obligations.
- E-books – where publishers, librarians, developers, and end-users explored both the technical challenges and the benefits of accessible digital reading.
- TV and audiovisual media – featuring both content creators and device manufacturers discussing how to provide consistent and customizable accessibility experiences.
Another standout session explored how different EU member states are preparing for market surveillance and enforcement, with perspectives from Ireland, Sweden, and the European Commission. The key message: when the EAA comes into force in June, accessibility will be treated as business as usual, just another part of the regulatory stack. Authorities are ready to monitor and respond to complaints from day one.
A recurring theme throughout the day was that while the EAA may begin as a compliance driver, its true potential lies in stimulating innovation and enabling better digital experiences for everyone. That message came through clearly in many of the discussions.
That said, there were moments where I felt the sense of urgency around the EAA felt lacking. With implementation just weeks away, I had expected more concrete discussion about how organizations are preparing to meet the new requirements, particularly at scale. While several companies understandably took the opportunity to showcase accessible features or celebrate inclusive design achievements, there was less engagement with the broader implications of the legislation. Too often, the conversation stopped at general statements of support, rather than exploring the specific challenges and strategies involved.
Looking ahead
It was a stimulating and thought-provoking event, with space for technical discussion, strategic reflection, and the occasional off-mic conversation about haptics, AI, and whether we should finally abandon PDFs (opinions were divided!)
Still, given how close we now are to the EAA’s implementation, the overall tone felt surprisingly relaxed. Many of the most pressing questions around interpretation, implementation, and enforcement remain unresolved. A more urgent, action-oriented discussion would have been welcome.
This isn’t the time to sit back and wait. As we heard during the session on market surveillance, authorities across the EU are set up and ready to act. Monitoring will begin from day one, and accessibility will be treated as a standard regulatory requirement.
Thanks to all the organisers, speakers, and contributors—and especially to Susanna Laurin, who once again kept everything running smoothly. It was great to reconnect with familiar faces and meet some new ones along the way.
With the EAA implementation deadline now just weeks away, future gatherings will no longer focus on preparation. They’ll be reflecting on its real-world impact. Hopefully, those conversations will bring even more depth, focus, and urgency to the table.
Need help with your EAA strategy?
Whether you’re preparing for the European Accessibility Act or still working out what it means for your organization, TPGi’s EAA Resource Center offers tools, webinars, and expert guidance to support you. You can also download our Essential Guide to the European Accessibility Act for a step-by-step look at what’s required, what’s coming, and how to stay ahead.
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